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Clan Ithilien
Bio The hooded men of the woods came sweeping in like the darkness, navigating through the trees and forest floor like shadows. It was here they waited and watched. Within the walls of Eryn Ithil many trained in survival, archery, and sword craft. House Ithilien grew once many learned of their prowess for guerilla combat within the forests of their homeland. When war encroached upon Duke Balen’s land, it was the people of Eryn Ithil that managed to hold an invasion force for ten days while the Jarl finished fortifying the stronghold of Bärenburg. They are a people of the shadows, only entering open combat when absolutely necessary. Historically they have had problems with arrogant nobles telling them where to stand and die. When given proper leadership, they will fight and die on their own terms, for a leader they deem worthy of their skill. Though they love their privacy, the people of Ithilien are not opposed to the company of outsiders, and have grown to develop friendships, and even marry those who enter their borders and prove themselves to be trustworthy. This makes them very unlike many other druidic societies, they possess a superior knowledge of their surrounding lands, and the cultures of those who belong to them. In Ithilien, trees are valued not only for their protection, resources, and covering, but to the people of Ithilien, they represent memory. The knowledge of a hundred lifetimes are believed to be dwelling within their roots. They highly value true wisdom and knowledge, and seek to know only what is, not what is suspected. They have grown much as a people since they have put aside the fickle superstitions of the past. Although while they value knowledge, they have become no less spiritual, they simply approach the unseen with an open, yet cautious mind. Ithiliens are known for their loyalty and honor and can always be counted on to come to the aid of a close friend, or a sworn lord, one must but earn their trust and they are like a talon in the claw of a trusted leader. History would tell us they found one in Jarl Copin Balen I, he called upon the Chieftain Faroth Ithilien to lend him aid against the encroaching host they had been holding back for some time. During that battle the men and women of Ithilien fought bravely and Faroth earned a seat as a chief in Balen’s court. Thankful for his service, many of the duchies finest rangers have been trained under the banner of house Ithilien. Now led by Gideon Ithillien, grandson of the hooded man, Planted under the banner of house Balen, Ithilien will rise to untold heights, and become a hub for many to thrive for generations to come, “Planted We Rise.” Physical Attributes Clan Ithilien breeds an unusual stock compared to the mighty mountain men of Erzhalden. They are tall, slender folk with a fair, yet rugged look about them. They possess dark eyes and brown or black hair, while they are mostly woodsmen by nature, it is rare to see them filthy, or unkempt. Values The people of Ithilien first and foremost value loyalty and home. They are slow to trust, but once trust has been earned, there is very little that cannot be asked of them. They value a keen mind, and the ability to determine what is true and what is not. It is often said that an Ithilien can tell whether he is being lied to by the smallest change in body language. They respect their land, and will stop at nothing to keep it safe, but openly welcome anyone who has patience to earn their trust. Skills There is not a man or woman who was raised in Eryn Ithil that is not skilled in the arts of survival. Most children make their first bow at the age of thirteen as a right of passage, and have killed their first elk by the age of 14. While in the past, many from Ithilien have carried daggers of flint and bone, many now have taken up the art of working metal and swordplay has become an almost necessary skill to those of the Moonwood. Growing up in Eryn Ithil, one must learn how to navigate the forest floor, and its trees as one would walk through his own home, and the people of this forest have, whether through inherited animalistic instinct, or repetitious familiarity, become proficient in doing just that.They interact very closely with the flora and fauna of the land, valuing the use of herbs and tonics for their healing properties, and horse mastery and falconry or in some cases, owlry, is a celebrated art. It is not uncommon to see teenagers trying to knock one another off their horses as a form of game. =